Thursday, May 31, 2012

Via del Fagiano

Wild urban green, abandoned building, via del Fagiano, LivornoSome really wild urban green seen through the window of an abandoned building in “Via del Fagiano”.Ventilation holes, utilities cabinet, via del Fagiano, LivornoSame street, a curious and repeating pattern of ventilation holes of an utilities cabinet.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Liberty of the Seas

Liberty of the Seas cruise ship, IMO 9330032, port of LivornoAll the cruise ships calling at the port of Livorno usually arrive in the early morning and leave in the late afternoon for another night of sailing. Some passengers are watching from their balconies during the departure of the “Liberty of the Seas”.Liberty of the Seas cruise ship, IMO 9330032, port of LivornoThe 339-meter ship, which carries 3600 passengers and a crew of 1300, is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International.Liberty of the Seas cruise ship, IMO 9330032, port of LivornoThe tug “Francesca Neri” is escorting the “Liberty of the Seas” beyond the entrance of the port.

See also: Celebrity Solstice
External links: MS Liberty of the Seas - Royal Caribbean International
Search labels: cruise ship - tug

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

666 & No Cops

666 on a traffic sign, LivornoClearly this is not a Clet Abraham's work, perhaps somebody wrote the Number of the Beast on a traffic sign... with stickers!No cops on a traffic sign, LivornoThis “No Cops” is less diabolic, but slightly more disturbing.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Steamhip in Port

New planter, piazza Attias, LivornoAnother of the new planters in “Piazza Attias”, decorated with a reproduction of “Vapore nel porto” (Steamhip in port) by the Livornese painter Mario Puccini.Vapore nel porto, Steamship in port by Mario Puccini, 1915
“Vapore nel porto” (Steamhip in port, 1915) by Mario Puccini

See also: Piazza Attias - The Big Red A - The New Attias - The Red Tower - Lungomare di Antignano - Six Months

Sunday, May 27, 2012

The Waters of Health

Vintage postcard of the Acque della Salute (Waters of Health) thermal baths, LivornoA not-so-subtle way of alluding to the curative powers of the “Acque della Salute” (Waters of Health).Panoramic view of Acque della Salute (Waters of Health) thermal baths in 1912, LivornoA panoramic view of the thermal baths in 1912.

(Postcards digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)
Search labels: spa - postcard

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Certificates

Cavour, sign about certificates on-line, piazza Cavour, LivornoThe Municipality of Livorno is proudly announcing that you can get your certificates on line, but the Count of Cavour looks perplexed...
In Italy a “certificato” is an official-looking piece of paper which, usually but not always, states something related to an individual for the use of a third part. In this post we are speaking of documents issued by a municipality, so you may have a “certificato di residenza”, stating the exact address where you live or a “stato di famiglia”, listing all the cohabiting components of your family. You can even ask for a “certificato di esistenza in vita” which states that you are still alive, which may sound quite funny, but this obviously redundant piece of paper is sometimes needed when you are receiving a pension.

See also: Cavour - Piazza Cavour
External links: Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour (Wikipedia)

Friday, May 25, 2012

Six Chairs, Three Tables

Sidewalk chairs and tables, La stüa Inn, via Magenta, LivornoChairs and tables on the sidewalk of “Via Magenta” for the newly opened “La stüa”.

See also : La stüa

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Guitars, at Last!

At last, an assortment of guitars built by our versatile luthiers.Guitars, lutherie workshop, Ivano Colombini, Furio Sciumbata, Simone Coloretti, LivornoFrom left to right: a Dreadnought acoustic guitar by Ivano Colombini, a hollow-body electric guitar and a jazz guitar by Furio Sciumbata, a classical guitar by Simone Coloretti and one by Ivano Colombini.Electric guitar and bass, lutherie workshop, Ivano Colombini, LivornoElectric bass and guitar by Ivano Colombini.

See also: Lutherie Workshop - Cuatro, Clàrsach & Dulcimer
External links: Dreadnought - Classical guitar - Electric guitar (Wikipedia)
Contacts: Centro di ricerca e pratica musicale (Lutherie Workshop) - f.sciumbata@alice.it

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Four Tugs

Piero Neri tugboat, IMO 9351713, Seaborne tanker, IMO 9247833, LivornoThe tug boat “Piero Neri” is assisting the 240-meter tanker “Seaborne” during the mooring operations.tug boats Alfredo Neri IMO 9207106, Porto Baratti IMO 9167887, Piero Neri IMO 9351713, Francesca Neri IMO 9239290, Seaborne tanker, LivornoThree more tugs were taking part in the maneuver: the “Alfredo Neri” and the “Porto Baratti” are both visible on the left. On the right, the “Francesca Neri” is framed by the bow of the cruise ship “Sovereign”.

See also: Piero Neri - Alfredo Neri
Search labels: tug

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Monday, May 21, 2012

Cuatro, Clàrsach & Dulcimer

I hope you will enjoy some more unusual instruments built from our gentleman luthier Furio Sciumbata.Cuatro venezuelano, Venezuelan cuatro, lutherie workshop, Furio Sciumbata, Livorno
Arpa celtica, Clàrsach, lutherie workshop, Furio Sciumbata, Livorno
Dulcimer, Appalachian dulcimer, lutherie workshop, Furio Sciumbata, Livorno
See also: Lutherie Workshop - Guitars, at Last!
External links: Venezuelan cuatro - Clàrsach - Appalachian dulcimer (Wikipedia)
Contacts: Centro di ricerca e pratica musicale (Lutherie Workshop) - f.sciumbata@alice.it

Sunday, May 20, 2012

For Mother Earth

Per Madre Terra, For Mother Heart, segways, LivornoLooking at the ad on the Segways I was probably a bit too quick in translating “Per Madre Terra” as “For Mother Earth”. In Italian “Terra” with the uppercase initial is the planet and a lowercase “terra” may be both land and soil.

External links: Per Madre Terra (In Italian)

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Lutherie Workshop

For three days an exhibition called “Per Madre Terra” (For Mother Earth) is taking place in the Fortezza Vecchia (Old Fortress). From my point of view the most interesting stand is the one about lutherie of a friend of mine and former colleague.
Furio Sciumbata is a hobbyist, but also an absolutely expert luthier and guitar maker who has organized a lutherie workshop in town. All the instruments shown today are from his personal production.Ghironda, hurdy gurdy, lutherie workshop, Furio Sciumbata, Livorno
Rebec, ribeca, lutherie workshop, Furio Sciumbata, Livorno
Citole, citola, lutherie workshop, Furio Sciumbata, Livorno
See also: Cuatro, Clàrsach & Dulcimer - Guitars, at Last!
External links: Hurdy gurdy - Rebec - Citole (Wikipedia)
Contacts: Centro di ricerca e pratica musicale (Lutherie Workshop) - f.sciumbata@alice.it

Friday, May 18, 2012

Bicycles with a View

Locked bicycles with a view over a bend of the canal, LivornoLocked bicycles with a view over a bend of the canal. (“Via della Madonna” / “Scali del Pesce”)

Search labels: bicycle art
External links: Bicycle Art

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Shaving Weeds

Getting rid of weeds, Fosso Reale, LivornoThe stone walls of the “Fosso Reale” are being “shaved” to clean them from the luxuriant weeds.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tazzari & Twizy

Tazzari Zero electric car, Tuttovela village, LivornoA Tazzari Zero electric car parked outside the Tuttovela village.Renault Twizy electric car, Tuttovela village, LivornoA Renault Twizy on display at the Tuttovela village. (Pictures taken last April)

External links: Tazzari Zero - Renault Twizy (Wikipedia) - Tazzari Zero (Official website)

Monday, May 14, 2012

Corner Buildings

Corner building between via Sardi e via Ricasoli, LivornoTowards its “Piazza Cavour” end, “Via Ricasoli” is cut by two diagonal streets and this makes for two interesting corner buildings: one on the side of “Via Sardi” ...Corner building between via Ricasoli and via delle Bandiere, Livorno... and another on the side of “Via delle Bandiere”.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Fontana del Duomo

Old postcards of the Monumental fountain of largo del Littorio / largo Duomo, LivornoFor a few years, until the destruction of the Cathedral during the WWII air raids, a monumental fountain graced the outside of the apse, in what was the “Largo del Littorio” and now is “Largo Duomo”. It was built in 1929 for the “Istituto Nazionale Immobiliare” on a design by Gino Cipriani and G. Macchia.
(Postcards digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

I am sorry I didn't visit your blogs during our stay in Rome, but my aging laptop sternly refused to go wireless through my new Internet key modem.

Search labels: postcard

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Red Nets

Red fishing nets and yellow buoys, LivornoBright red nets and yellow buoys, I guess fishes don't have a really good sight...
In the afternoon we will be back home from Rome.

Friday, May 11, 2012

La stüa

La stüa Inn, via Magenta, LivornoThe word stüa is not Italian but Ladin, a language still spoken in some parts of Northern Italy. It literally means stove, but up North the word was often used for a wood-panelled dining room where the stove was.

Wine makes good blood...
Water makes legs trembling
“La stüa” Inn
Next opening

External links: Ladin language (Wikipedia) - Stüa

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Largo Christian Bartoli

Sign, largo Christian Bartoli, Antignano, LivornoOn January 19, 1998, 17-years-old Christian Bartoli died for a ruptured aneurysm after two days of intensive care. His parents chose to donate his organs, changing forever the lives of those who received them. In 1999 a small square near the “Tre Ponti” (Three Bridges) beach was named after him.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Red Stripe

The so-called Racing Stripe originates from an idea of President John F. Kennedy, who wished to improve the world-wide visual identification of the U.S. government. In 1964 the new stripe was proposed in application of this directive and was first used on USCG boats in 1967, becoming an international standard in a few decades.
The 10-meter 34-knot CP 554 in the Porto Mediceo

USCGC Bainbridge Island (WPB-1343) in the New York Harbor
The USCGC “Bainbridge Island” (WPB-1343) in the New York Harbor

French Patrol boat P675 Arago, Livorno
The French patrol boat P675 “Arago” at the Capitaneria pier

See also: Piaggio P166 - Coast Guard - Calm Waters - CP 867 & Nataly - CP 867 - CP 866 - CP 409 Ingianni
External links: Traditions of the United States Coast Guard

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Modigliani Brothers

Busts of Giuseppe Emanuele Modigliani and Amedeo Modigliani, Villa Fabbricotti, LivornoThe bust of the respected politician Giuseppe Emanuele Modigliani and the one of his brother, the world famous painter Amedeo Modigliani, are placed on different sides of the “Villa Fabbricotti” building. For once, we are pleased to reunite them...

Search labels: Modigliani
See also: Modigliani's Heads - Amedeo Modigliani - Modigliani's Tomb - Modigliani in Paris
External links: Amedeo Modigliani (Wikipedia)

Monday, May 7, 2012

To Civilian Victims of War

Monument to civilian victims of war, by Dino Bovecchi, via Fiume, LivornoThe monument dedicated “Ai caduti civili di guerra” (To civilian victims of war) in “Via Fiume”. The stele, by Dino Bovecchi on a design by Vitaliano De Angelis, was erected in 1965 to honor the civilian victims of deportation, forced labor and air raids.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Bronze Spheres

Bronze sphere of the obelisk in piazza Mazzini, LivornoOne of the four bronze spheres of the obelisk of “Piazza Mazzini”. As you can easily see from the cracks and the erosion, the main problem with this stele is that it was made of friable sandstone.Bronze spheres of the obelisk in piazza Mazzini, LivornoMany ancient obelisks are still around in quite good shape after thousands of years, but they were usually carved from a single block of red granite, a much harder and durable stone.Vintage postcard of piazza Mazzini, 1911, LivornoThis could reinforce the speculation that it was built with recycled stones from the other steles.

(1911 postcard digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

See also: The Two Towers - Fonte Guglia?
Search labels: postcard

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Self-Portrait

Self-portrait in a polished brass door knob, via Ricasoli, LivornoSelf-portrait in a brass door knob in “Via Ricasoli”. This must be one of the best polished door handles in town, because it has been already used for a 2010 Theme-Day post.

Friday, May 4, 2012

All That Remains

Chained wheel of a stolen bicycle, LivornoThis chained wheel is all that remains of the second entry of our Bicycle Art gallery.
Looking for some real art, we are leaving today for a few days in Rome.

Search labels: bicycle art
External links: Bicycle Art

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Alessandro Neri

Alessandro Neri tugboat, IMO 9239305, crews warming up for the Trofeo D'Alesio 2012, LivornoA tugboat like the “Alessandro Neri” may look outsized by huge container ships but it is still quite imposing against a few rowboats.

Search labels: tug

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Planes, Boats & Water Scooters

Models of an ATR 42 MP and two patrol boats of the Coast Guard, Tuttovela, LivornoThe models of an ATR 42 MP and two patrol boats of the “Guardia Costiera” (Coast Guard) on display at the Tuttovela village.Water scooter of the Polizia di Stato, National Police, Tuttovela, LivornoA real water scooter of the “Polizia di Stato” (National Police).

Search labels: TAN - Tuttovela
External links: Coast Guard - Polizia di Stato (Wikipedia)